Long term improvements in activities of daily living in patients with hemispatial neglect

Abstract

First paragraph: Stroke is the 3rd commonest cause of death and the most frequent cause of severe adult disability in Scotland (SIGN guidelines, 119, June 2010). Up to 80% of right hemisphere damaged stroke patients experience neglect, an inability to respond to events in the left half of their subjective space. Although the majority of these patients recover spontaneously, the early presence of neglect is the strongest predictor of overall poor recovery from stroke and sub-acute neglect patients have a much-reduced quality of life compared to other stroke patients. Although the last 40 years have seen huge efforts in the field of neglect rehabilitation, what is currently lacking are interventions that demonstrate a generalisation to tasks that assess a patient’s ability to function in activities relevant to their and their carer's lives.